Iraq crisis: American intervention against Isis boosts Kurdish morale as President Obama launches

[Jefferson23]

more air strikes.

US air strikes are boosting Kurdish morale as they hit Isis fighters, and Kurdish forces say they have opened a road for thousands of Yazidis cut off in the mountains. US military cargo planes have dropped supplies, though not enough to prevent deaths from starvation.

President Barack Obama said yesterday that the air strikes had destroyed arms and equipment that Isis could have used to attack Erbil, the Kurdish capital, but he warned that the current operation in Iraq could take some time. "I don't think we're going to solve this problem in weeks," he said. He stressed repeatedly the importance of Iraq forming its own inclusive government in which power is shared between all communities.

US air and drone attacks so far have been limited in scope, hitting an Isis convoy of seven vehicles, a mortar position and a mobile artillery piece. Nevertheless, US intervention has helped to curb panic in Erbil with some of those who fled returning to their homes.

President Obama is emphasising that the US does not want to be drawn back into a wider war in Iraq and will not send ground troops, but the US will evidently not allow Isis to capture Erbil or Baghdad. He described US's vigilance against Isis that could "launch attacks" outside Iraq and a "counter-terrorism element" to the ongoing operation. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told a press conference in Erbil that "air strikes are intended to degrade the terrorists' capabilities and achieve strategic gains – and have been very effective".

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iraq-crisis-american-intervention-against-isis-boosts-kurdish-morale-as-president-obama-launches-more-air-strikes-9659493.html

[Fred Sanders]

1. Nothing says "morale" than the world police dropping a few dozen 500 lb. bombs on your enemy and

promising plenty more where that came from.

No need to dwell on the fact the equipment said enemy was using came from the same police force.

[Jefferson23]

3. Bush/Cheney are responsible for the destruction of an entire country. I have no idea from what

I have read that a remedy exists. The US's greatest crime of the 21st century..Iraq.

[Viva_Daddy]

2. I want to know where the hell the Arab States are.

Are they just sitting on their hands waiting for the US to "do something"?

It seems to me that the Arab States around the Middle East have a HUGH stake in what's going on in Iraq. The US needs to get these States together and coordinate with them on how to deal with ISIS or ISIL.

States like Egypt and Saudi Arabia have plenty of military might (much of which was paid for by US Taxpayers). Why aren't they in the fight. So far, the Kurds have shown they can effectively defend themselves (with just a little help from US)...unlike the US "trained" and equipped Iraqis.

It also seems to me that this could be a diplomatic opportunity to get these Arab States WORKING TOGETHER (for a change) to "stabilize" their own region. I'm all for US helping them to do so but ENOUGH ALREADY with the idea that the US has to "fix things" on its own.

[Fred Sanders]

4. Because America is the designated world police force, America agreed to it when the world agreed

to the American currency being the world reserve currency, better than gold because you can just make more, and the world has to accept it?

[Jefferson23]

5. Well for one, their policies help fuel the result of such groups and they are not happy with the

results they received. They're unhappy now and useless as ever.

[Bill USA]

6. GREAT Question!

[Bill USA]

7. our objective should be the eradication of ISIS. Don't let it grow.